philadining

It's cool, go ahead, I hadn't actually had any of the "caramelized" dishes, they just sounded appealing, and I thought I saw one go by that looked good. And I enjoyed the food we did order, although I haven't tried enough of the menu to make a grand pronouncement about the place! I'm glad to have your perspective on it. I've eaten a lot of Vietnamese downtown and in Upper Darby, but not so much in the burbs. (But we'll have to agree to disagree about Plaza Garibaldi!)

I haven't seen the movie either, but just in general, I'd imagine that a restaurant interior scene is one of the most likely to be shot on a soundstage, or somewhere in LA. Just guessing though...

A kind soul from the recent dinner forwarded me some wine notes (thanks Beth!). These folks were not fooling around... opener - Vilmart Coer du Cuvée Roasted Foie Gras, Quail Egg, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Truffle Syrup. 2004 Albert Mann Cuvée Albert Pinot Gris 1995 Clos St. Immer Gewurztraminer V.T. Goldert Chicken Escabeche Ravioli, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Red Lentil Soup, Roasted Peanut Oil 1997 Domaine Closel Cuvée Isa 1999 Domaine Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling Cuvée Catherine Valencia "Bomba" Rice, Rock Shrimp, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Piperade Jus, Esplette Pepper, Bottarga, Fennel Emulsion 1999 Brunello Uccelliera 1997 Montevertine Pergola Torte 1995 Bodega Ismail Arrayo Val So Gillo Roasted Razor Clams, Glazed Chicken Wings, Fava Beans and Cepes, Brown Butter - Dashi Emulsion. 2001 Mersault Les Porozots Boillot 2004 Brunori Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Le Gemme Dry Aged Ribeye Steak, Braised Beef Cheeks, Slow Cooked Hanger Steak, Mushroom Marmelade 1985 Chateau Margaux 1989 Leoville Les Case 1996 Seavy Cabernet Sauvignon Banana Tatin, Butterscotch and Chocolate Sauces 2001 Les Tuilleries Sauternes 2001 Suidirot Sauternes So many of these were so good, I was really losing track... I do recall just loving the Gewurtz, the Mersault, the Margaux, and one of the Sauternes (but tragically I don't recall which one....) There were so many bottles swirling around, and half-finished glasses spanning courses that it was hard to recall exactly what went best with what. The clams were an unexpected course, so the Verdicchio was a hail-mary that actually worked pretty decently. The Mersault was open during the rice course, and I loved it there. I thought the reds might have been a bit big, certainly with the rice, even with the beef. Not that I'm complaining, I was happy to sample them nonetheless! Sauternes was nice with the bananas. From now on, I'm taking better notes....

Ever since I saw a certain picture in Percyn's blog, I've been dreaming of getting back to Devi in Exton for some spicy South Indian food. I finally made it tonight. I Started with a Mysore Masala Dosa When this arrived on the table, I wasn't sure whether to try to eat it, or to crawl under it and camp out for the night! It was huge, and every inch of it excellent. The edges were nice and crispy, the potato filling good and spicy, the sambal and chutneys the perfect compliments. I didn't realize that the dosa would be that big, I'd had others there that were more modest, so I'd ordered a curry as well: Vegetables Chettinad This was a nice mix of various vegetables in a spicy sauce, a specialty of southern Tamil Nadu. There's a bowl of rice under that crispy papad, a bowl of cooling raita, and a pickle. Great stuff. This was WAY too much for one person to eat, either one of them would have been sufficient. Hey, I've got lunch, they packaged up the remaining curry really nicely with the raita, pickle, rice and curry all in separate containers. Both those dishes and a lassi added up to about $20.

I'm working on that, it really would save on gas....

I was lucky enough to partake of yet another StudioKitchen dinner recently, and as will shock nobody who's read this topic, it was another great meal, with a few variations of some familiar SK preparations, as well as some new twists. Roasted Foie Gras, Quail Egg, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Truffle Syrup. The tiny poached quail egg was a wonderful companion for the foie, especially with the deep fall flavor of truffle and black trumpets. The sprinkle of amaranth sprouts brought some lightness of color and flavor. Chicken Escabeche Ravioli, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Red Lentil Soup, Roasted Peanut Oil This ravioli and the soup have been favorites of mine from previous dinners, but in different settings. Together, they were better than ever! The ravioli filling was tender and assertively flavored with vinegar and smoked paprika, a wonderful contrast to the impossibly smooth lentil soup. Valencia "Bomba" Rice, Rock Shrimp, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Piperade Jus, Esplette Pepper, Bottarga, Fennel Emulsion Until eating at StudioKitchen, I had labored under the naive presumption that arborio was the only rice suited for making risotto, but Shola often employs different rices for risotto-like dishes. This Valencia rice was wonderfully creamy, with a little bite remaining, and the intense, tomatoey broth was just addictive. Shola was kind enough to leave the rock shrimp out of my bowl, saving me a quick trip the the emergency room, but they received raves from others around the table, even from folks who said they had never cared for rock shrimp. I didn't miss them, especially as one of those concentrated tomatoes exploded in my mouth. As often happens at Studio Kitchen, Shola made a last-minute change to the menu, this time adding a complete course. Roasted Razor Clams, Glazed Chicken Wings, Fava Beans and Cepes, Brown Butter - Dashi Emulsion. The clams were actually a little on the chewy side, but I loved the flavor, especially the buttery miso vibe of the emulsion merging with the juices collecting in the bottom of the shells. The tender favas and chunks of mushroom went very nicely with the clams. This was the most elegant chicken wing I've ever encountered, off-the bone and sweetened with a tangy glaze. I suppose it seems a bit odd in the abstract: "What did you have at Studio Kitchen?" "Clams and Chicken wings.." But in Shola's hands, it's what bar food dreams of being someday! Dry Aged Ribeye Steak, Braised Beef Cheeks, Slow Cooked Hanger Steak, Mushroom Marmelade This was quite a pile of beef! The Niman Ranch Ribeye was good, but, you know, it's a steak... The beef cheeks and hanger really transcended that. The cheeks were just barely holding together, with the intense flavor of slow cooking. The hanger was the biggest surprise. That has always been a tasty cut, but often a bit chewy. But by searing, and then slow-poaching sous-vide, Shola intensified the flavor and made the meat amazingly tender. It doesn't even seem like the same meat as used in a quickly seared steak frites, this version is even more delicious, if you can picture it! The mushroom marmalade added a nice sweet twist. Banana Tatin, Butterscotch and Chocolate Sauces This was simple, straightforward, and amazingly delicious! Just puff pastry, tender caramelized bananas, and a drizzle of sauces that added a nice accent to the already vivid flavors. Yet again, interesting, inventive, and well-executed food, another great meal at StudioKitchen. Thanks Shola! And thanks also to another group of entertaining dining companions, for good conversation, and great wine. The bottles were coming fast and furious, so I couldn't keep track, but there were some amazing vintages on the table, if I can find some notes, I'll add them here.

Percyn and I checked out the Twin Bays Cafe in Phoenixville. I'd been curious about this BYOB restaurant on the edge of town for several years, but for some reason had never gone. The building had long housed the Herb Garden Cafe, but when that restaurant moved 4 or 5 years ago and reimagined itself as the Black Lab Bistro down in the center of town, the original space was transformed significantly into the Twin Bays Cafe. The bulk of the restaurant is now on the second floor, in what had formerly been apartments. The new dining rooms are attractive, and comfortable, if a little loud. I had always liked the main dining room on the first floor of the Herb Garden Cafe, with its long wall of windows, but that room seems to now be a work area for the florist that has taken over most of the ground floor. There is a small dining area remaining on the first floor if a customer is not good with stairs, although there still seem to be some steps involved even on that level. Service was very friendly and enthusiastic, everyone was so darn nice and sincere that we really wished we had liked the food a bit more than we did... The restaurant serves perfectly pleasant food, made from good ingredients, but sadly it's missing that extra dimension that would allow it to achieve the heights to which the menu prose aspires. It's not inexpensive (many entrees in the mid to upper 20s), and the descriptions make it clear that the dishes are meant to be serious preparations, not simple cafe fare, despite the restaurant's name. The menu online is out-of-date, there are many changes, and prices are a little higher, but you get the idea. The food wasn't bad, just a little plain, I could see it being a perfect place to bring someone when the setting is as important as what's on the plate, or if your guests are not particularly adventurous eaters, but would appreciate a nice, casual-but-fancy dinner. I'm usually reluctant to paint with such a broad brush after a single meal, but almost everything we had had the same telling characteristics: the food was generally underseasoned, or all spicing was focused on one flavor; items were cooked in a way that was superficially "correct" but which failed to optimize the inherent qualities of the ingredients; the pacing was a little off, our entrees arrived milliseconds after the appetizers had been cleared, showing some signs of having been held. Percy and I tag-teamed the photos, each shooting the dishes we ordered, so I'll let him add his pix and descriptions. I started with the "Red Onion Soup" with cider and cheddar cheese. I'm really hard-to-please when it comes to onion soup, yet I always have hope... and this wasn't bad at all, and mercifully did not suffer from the frequent crime of blankets of inappropriate cheese. This featured a decent, but inelegant broth, a little too thin, sharp and salty. There was a nice onion component, but I think it might have been crippled by its central conceit: the red onions were fine, but some flavor depth from additional, or different, types of onions would have been welcome. There was a decent crouton, which could have been toastier, covered with good cheddar cheese. Cheddar is not the typical topping for this dish, but it worked well with the apple notes from the cider (and a few slices of apple in the soup). It's a shame really, this is really close to being an excellent soup, but the broth needs some refining... And I don't mean to be snarky, but what's up with the plating?? That random spray of onion and parsley, is that supposed to be enhancing the presentation in some way? A special venison soup had a pleasant gamey note, but sadly tasted alarmingly like Campbell's Beef and Barley to me. I usually steer clear of Chicken dishes in restaurants with more interesting options, but the Chicken Gorgonzola sounded good, and was lauded in a newspaper review posted in the lobby. This was a free-range chicken breast, breaded and fried, served with roasted red peppers, a creamy gorgonzola sauce, spinach and an orzo-like pasta. OK, this is not exactly dramatically innovative, but the prospect of the strong flavors of bleu cheese and roasted peppers appealed to me. The chicken had a nice crispy coating, but was dry, and the gorgonzola sauce was timid. The spinach was thankfully just lightly wilted, but seemed completely unseasoned. The pasta was the correct degree of doneness, but tasted like nothing at all. Again, this was almost good, it was a nice idea, but too restrained, and the main element was carelessly overcooked. The osso buco had a decent flavor, but did not have that melting texture that results from the slow, low braise a shank requires. This one was a bit rubbery, usually a sign of a hurried prep. The accompanying starch (I'm can't even remember what it was, polenta?) was gummy. I should reiterate that nothing was especially bad, the ingredients were decent, the combinations were fairly creative, and the cooking competent, but all three aspects seemed to fall short of what was required to make these dishes really sing. BUT!! there's good news! We were presented with a dessert menu which seemed to be bigger than the dinner menu, featuring a wide array of cakes, and other confections, as well as several homemade ice creams. The server raved about the apple-cinnamon ice cream, so although we each were pretty full from the good-sized servings, we decided to each get a single scoop of that, and an espresso. (It's a nice touch to offer the small serving of ice cream.) I'm pleased to report that the ice cream was outstanding! It was luxuriously creamy, with well-balanced flavors of apple and cinnamon. The espresso was good too. So, overall, the meal was OK. It's a very nice place, with a sincere and friendly staff, with OK food that falls short of its aspirations. Bill for two, each having soup and entree, a small dessert and a double espresso was just under $90 before tip. I wouldn't turn down an invitation to an aunt's birthday party there, but I'm not hurrying back on my own. But, I MIGHT go back for dessert....

I've only been to Sovalo once, a while ago, but I liked it. (earlier thread here.) I wouldn't claim it was the greatest Italian in town, but I found it solidly satisfying, and interesting. Maxine Keyser is a good deal more excited in this week's City Paper review. (link will probably not work after October 12, 2005) This is a silly style thing, but it struck my eye as odd: the review refers to the chef simply as "Joseph" several times. The NYTimes standard of always using the formal "Mr. Scarpone" may seem stiff, but using only a first name feels weirder. Would she call Mssr. Perrier just "Georges" in a review? I know the weeklies try to be more casual, but I hadn't noticed this convention before.

Percy, is this Devi in Exton? I think I recognize the chutneys! If this is them, I love their Masala Dosa, I know what I'll try next...

I'm happy to report that Percy's bad luck with the Pork in Green Sauce seems to have been a fluke, at least i have two good experiences that imply that... I'd actually ordered the pork with the red sauce for the sake of trying something new, but when they gave me this sauce by mistake, it smelled so good, I wasn't going to send it back! the meat was more randomly chopped this time, not neat symmetrical cubes, but it was tender, and juicy, with nice crusty edges. (I'd been hoping for tamales, but they were out of them...) The DP is a fan of Enchiladas de Mole, and was not disappointed by these. Two dinners and two Jaritos sodas totalled less than $18 before tip. It was fairly busy at about 8pm on a sunday, but we didn't have to wait.

Indeed, thanks for that tip, and your other advice as well, we kept all of it in mind as we were selecting the wines.

Thanks for those careful notes, Percy. We got pretty darn close with many of these wine matches, sometimes by pure luck, but not too many unequivocal home-runs. The Gaillac was one of the just-about perfect marriages with the food. Alone, it was delicious, but almost too sweet. But with the soup... transcendent. We would thank the folks at Moore Brothers for this recommendation, if someone had gone to Jersey for wine, which, of course no one did. That would be wrong. My advocacy for NYS wines, Keuka Lake wines in particular, and Dr Frank even more specifically, will continue until my dining companions start complaining, and so far they have not! This was indeed an extremely dry Riesling, with a very unusual flavor pattern. As the wine first hits the tongue, it tastes like nothing at all, but then blooms into an austere, but complex fruit. I thought the Terlaner Sauvignon was delicious, and went pretty well here, and probably would have gone pretty well with most anything we ate. The surprise was the Migration Pinot, which I agree was independently tasty and really nice with the chicken. The Riesling was a big, intense, golden-colored wine, practically a different grape than the version we had earlier. The age, and some time on wood, gave this a hefty flavor that went pretty well here. Not exactly right, but good... I saved some to try with the lobster, and it was pretty good there too! I liked the Lirac, but didn't love it with the salmon. Nice wine though, and not bad with the lobster either. Chardonnay is often a good match for lobster, and this elegant, clean Burgundy was very nice here. The Asian spin of the spicing made it a tiny bit less ideal than it would be with simple lobster and butter, but still, I liked this pairing. The Voigner was good too, but I'll agree that it didn't kill me here. Shola had suggested that a Belgian Trippel Trappist Ale might have gone well here, and I'm kicking myself a bit, because it crossed my mind as we were planning, but I dismissed the idea! This was one of my favorite wines of the night, and could have done well as a starter too, but I'm glad we kept if for the end, the floral nose and sweet citrusy flavors really complimented this dessert. I'd love to take credit for this idea, but I had a little moore help than I'm at liberty to discuss.... All in all, a very nice array of wines, and fairly nice matches overall, I thought. Big thanks to everyone for their excellent contributions!

Studio Kitchen October 1, 2005 Coconut Carrot Soup Crab Spring Roll This is still more evidence of how great a “Shola’s Soup Kitchen” would be. A creamy coconut broth was vibrant with spices and carrot flavor, lightened by an airy foam. This itself would have been plenty satisfying, but the addition of tender bay scallops, bright orange mussels and chunks of lobster made it even more delicious. The crunch of the fried spring roll made a nice textural contrast, the crab filling lending another sweet note from the sea. I liked dipping the spring roll in the soup… Grilled Chicken "Sate" Cucumber Pickle, Peanut Praline In theory this is a pretty simple dish, just grill some chicken and serve peanut sauce. But not surprisingly, this reached new heights in Shola’s hands, with extremely tender, marinated chicken, touched with grill char, dressed lightly with peanut sauce, served over a sweet peanut caramel. The pickle of thin strands of cucumber echoed the traditional cucumber salad so often accompanies these skewers in Thai restaurants. Apologies to Kamol Phutlek of Nan restaurant, but I have a new favorite satay…. Applewood Smoked, Roasted Wild Salmon Tamarind Glaze, Soy Mushrooms, Braised Chinese Celery The tamarind glaze gave a slight sweetness to this rich fish, which had just enough smoke to add another dimension, but not so much that it overwhelmed the inherent flavors of the salmon. A variety of wild mushrooms, with a little splash of soy, provided an earthy platform for the fish. The braised Chinese Celery was boldly bitter, and would have been hard to take on its own, but was a perfect foil for the fattiness of the salmon. Poached Lobster with Asian Spices Dessicated Tomatoes, Lemongrass Tea Banana Leaf, Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass Perfumed Jasmine Rice Yeah, yeah, lobster, yada yada, fabulous, delicious, whatever, let’s talk abut the rice! First of all, jasmine rice has a lovely aroma of its own, but when cooked in coconut milk, a pinch of turmeric for good measure, then steamed in a banana leaf, with a stalk of lemongrass and a couple of kaffir lime leaves, it turns into something amazing. We were all pretty happy just eating the rice out of the mini steamer baskets. The perfume released by simply unwrapping the banana leaves was intoxicating. OK, I guess it should be acknowledged that the Lobster was pretty amazing too. The meat itself was sprinkled with spices such as cinnamon, allspice, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns, which gave it a complex edge, but left it tasting like a lobster. The real magic came from the combination of all the elements: spearing a chunk of lobster, a piece of the concentrated tomato soaking in the lemongrass broth, and scooping up some of that rice. Fabulous. Frozen Pineapple Compote Lemon Sponge Cake, Coconut Sorbet, Ginger Broth Sour Milk and Lemon Cloud We were laughing about how one doesn’t often hear the phrase “the cloud is really good” around a dinner table, but we heard it quite a lot this night! Buttermilk, cream and crème fraîche were foamed into a mold, which when removed, left a soft, billowing cloud of lemony goodness. The coconut sorbet was colder and sharper and cleaner, a nice contrast. The lemon sponge cake sat atop a log of concentrated pineapple, drizzled with basil oil, sprinkled with fleur de sel. All of this was drifting in a pool of subtle ginger broth. It was a beautifully bright ending to a vibrant meal. It’s sounding like a cliché to keep saying it, but it’s true: yet another Studio Kitchen meal that was interesting, exciting and delicious. In some ways the menu wasn’t quite as far-out as some meals we’ve had at Studio Kitchen, but this was largely due to Shola’s adhering to the concept of the food having at least a vague Thai theme. And I’ll sacrifice novel for delicious any day! Big thanks to Percy for coming up with the idea of a Thai theme, and for organizing the event, and to the rest of the folks at the table for the lovely company, and for contributing some fabulous wines (more details soon on the very challenging wine pairings.) And of course, thanks to Shola for yet another incredible meal!

Yep...

Tried the Enchiladas Rojas last night. You can get these with Chicken or Beef, I tried the beef. The filling was fine, if not a big thrill, just simple diced grilled steak. But the whole package worked really well: the red sauce in which the tortillas were dipped was very spicy, with a good full flavor, and the lettuce, cheese, crema and onions gave some respite from the heat. These enchiladas may not be quite as tasty as the ones available downtown at Plaza Garibaldi, but they're close. Another good, solid, home-style offering from Los Mariachis. I'd get them again. 5 enchiladas, $7.

The White Dog Cafe could probably fit a group of 15, even on a saturday, but their dinner menu is a little pricey for what you've defined: entrees get into the mid-20s. (menu at the link above) and they are NOT a BYOB, so you'd be paying for drinks. They have a good beer and wine selection though... i don't know how they are about last-minute groups, but they have the space...

You're certainly right that this particular topic should probably concentrate on PLCB offerings, but there are a good number of folks who read and participate in this forum who are from NJ or Delaware, and might find Moore Bros to be a convenient local wine store. Perhaps a more generic "local wine advice" topic would be in order.

Four of us had a nice dinner at Majolica recently, and although our experiences were somewhat mixed, overall it reaffirmed our earlier opinions that this is an exciting addition to the dining scene. The menu hasn't changed much since we had first visited a few months ago, but given that they received glowing reviews in both Philadelphia Magazine and the Inquirer, it's probably smart to not change it much for a while! As a result, we returned to a few of our favorites, it's a good menu, but not huge, about seven apps, seven entrees. The kitchen sent out a complimentary amuse-bouche, little gougere pastries filled with a soft, creamy cheese. To start we had crisply fried sweetbreads, served over a bed of finely-minced apples and celery. I thought these had great flavor, and a nice textural contrast between the creamy centers and crunchy exteriors. I might have liked these just a tiny bit less-crunchy, but that's a small quibble. A classic frisée salad featured a tangle of fresh greens, a strip of bacon instead of the classic lardons, a simple hard-boiled egg, and absolutely perfectly-fried cubes of potato. There was a bit too much of the excellent vinaigrette, but it wasn't a tragedy. The combination of flavors was very pleasing, especially those potatoes... A creamy, summery corn soup was poured around some crunchy fried clams, a clever expression of the typical clambake flavors. We were happy to see this still on the menu, even though summer has officially passed. For entrées, we had a double-portion of the cold lobster salad that is usually offered as a starter. Tender poached lobster was paired with blanched haricots vertes, and a brightly flavored lemony aoili. Grilled salmon is set over a buttery brioche crouton, which in turn rests on celery, which suspends it over a pool of truffled butter sauce. An island of roasted halibut jutted from a verdant pool of parsley purée, tender white asparagus washing up on shore (AAAGHH! I just got tasered by the metaphor police!!) The fish itself was nicely cooked, pretty mild, but perked up by the good sauce. Rabbit Confit was served as a leg and delicate medalions of mild meat, accompanied by fingerling potatoes, some frisée, and dots of grainy mustard. Sadly, this didn't have much flavor at all, and although it appeared to be carefully cooked, it really looked and tasted like a boiled chicken. The leg was better than the... hmmm..what was that other part, the saddle? The mustard was good, but it still needed some more spicing or sauce or something. We were a bit too full for dessert, so we settled for a pot of good Kimberton Roasters coffee, served in a really cool, large, insulated french-press pitcher. I've got to get one of those! Everything we had was at least very good, except maybe the rabbit, which wasn't bad just a little lackluster. I still think my favorite things are the mussels and the Steak Frites, which for some weird reason, none of us ordered. Hey, more reason to go back. Service was very friendly and professional, with good attentiveness to refilling wine from the mysteriously remote ice bucket. There was an uncomfortably long pause between appetizers and entrees, even though the restaurant was not very full, which is not the server's fault, then another very long pause at the end before we could manage to get the check, which was. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant dining experience, with good food in an attractive place, I'm looking forward to getting back there soon. I'm confident that the menu will change soon, it's still pretty summery right now, so I'm sure there will be some novel dishes to try soon. (And we still need to think about rounding some eGulleteers up for a tasting excursion, keep an eye on the ISO thread!) Big thanks to Percy for getting this together, it was a lovely evening all around with good company, good conversation and good food!

We just had a bottle of Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling last night. Nothing particularly earth-shattering, fairly light, but quite pleasant, and really inexpensive. It's Code #008775 at the PLCB, and currently on sale for $10.99. Don't let the screw-cap freak you out, it's pretty good! I'm a fan of the Dr Frank Dry Rieslings from NY State. They're a little scarce around here these days, but there are a few bottles of '03 at the Bala Cynwyd Premium selection store. Code #17887. The '04 is a bit easier to find, with some in Wayne, Exton, Bryn Mawr, 1913 Chestnut and the Columbus Ave store. Code #18195 They're both pretty darn good, especially at $15. Frank makes a slightly cheaper line called Salmon Run which is fine, but I don't like it quite as much. The Ratzenbergers are great, and pretty affordable, but SLO in PA. If you happen to live in NJ, Moore Bros can hook you up... There's a basic Trimbach that's pretty well-distributed, pretty easy to find, for only $17. Code #006625. Some of their better bottles are harder to find in PA, and at the top of your price range. There are lots more good ones, it's a popular grape grown in a lot of different regions, but those are some that I've had and enjoyed recently...

Oh man, I could REALLY go for one of those paninis right about now! We often joke about the various shops that Shola could open, and I'll add the Panini Palace to the list. Could be the ultimate lunch: a shot of soup, a grilled panini filled with premium ingredients, a foamy goblet of dessert. Perfect. Everything else looked great too. That risotto with the rabbit sounds especially delicious. And dude, Percy and I would like to remind you that you would have had 43 photos of your Roquefort Pannacotta if you'd been a little more careful about your guest list... Close personal friends and relatives?!?! What were you thinking?! This is serious business man! You've got to think about future generations, the historical record, your legacy. We're not just trying to weasel our way into another SK dinner, we're just thinking about the children. It's for their sake really, imagine what a tragedy it would be for them to grow up without carefully-lit pix, from several angles, of every foam and drizzle and pile of granola. But no, you'll have to live with the consequences of that image of the cheesey flan fading from your memory, to be someday the subject of bitter arguments with your friends about what shape it was, and what color, and where the endive marmalade was on the plate. I hate to see that happen. I'm just trying to help...

Funny how similarly hungry eGullet minds work... I walked by there a couple of times over the weekend, but didn't take the plunge. I grabbed a menu and had the same reaction as mrbigjas, I was intrigued by a few unusual offerings. Place looks nice, decent-sized grills, funny retro-modern-looking exhaust duct thingies that can extend down over the grills, that would have looked at home in the movie Brazil. Indeed thanks for the report sockii, that might be enough of a prod to get some more of us there!

I found the obsessive, monomaniacal devotion to perfecting a particular style to be rather rewarding. Even if I lived nearby I wouldn't make it my regular pizza source, but the purity of flavors from fine ingredients, and complexity of textures from careful execution made it a thrilling dining moment for me. But I could see how one could be underwhelmed if that style didn't happen to push the right buttons.

PLEASE do NOT buy cheesesteaks at 6am for consumption hours later. It would be a crime against nature! They really need to be eaten immediately, preferably within seconds of coming off the grill. If you have time mid-day, a high-speed drive across town with them is just barely acceptable, but they'll be half as good. But keep them for more than a half an hour and they won't even resemble their true selves. But around lunchtimes, the lines can be brutal, even though they move fast.

Aw man, I thought we'd talked you into leaving your Gills Gone Wild videos at home! All those shots of mackerel in the raw, oozing uni, "tuna tartare," if you know what I mean.... it's enough to drive a man insane. It might be time for an intervention. And we're taking away your Field and Stream swimsuit edition too.

Yes it was something that had at one time been in the system, although I'm not sure it was ever in stores. It was a wine that I'd been served in a restaurant so I figured that it should have been in the records somewhere. There was still some ambiguity about exactly what vintage the code referred to, there were two years listed, as if it didn't matter! So yes, my example was something that had actually been ordered previously, but wasn't something that was regularly stocked. The point I was trying to make was that I had some questions about it, and my emails and phone calls were returned promptly. And in the end, I got the right thing.